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Thread: Do You Know Your Car?

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
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    Windham, Vermont, USA
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    Do You Know Your Car?

    It is snowing pretty heavily here now. I just came back in, and had another encounter with someone who didn't know how to check her windshield wiper fluid, or where it came out when she pushed the bottom. I helped her (and the convenience store employee trying to help her) find the spigots (the other employee had checked, her fluid was nice and full), and cleaned out around the outlets, and had her feel for them, and we determined they were not inched over after all. [Alas when we had her try, the pump motor didn't even sound, so the pump is likely what's dead, the car's under warranty so she'll have them fix it.)

    But it surprised me she didn't know these things, and the other employee was checking on the hood itself, in case the spouts were there, like they are on his truck.

    Do you, beloved Pet Talkers, know your car well enough to check fluids, clear stuff, etc? I hope?

    Our Dad made us learn all that before we ever went for a license test - and more.
    I've Been Frosted

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Illinois, USA
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    28,379
    I knew my previous car (a Saturn) better than I know my current one (also a Saturn). I do know how to get the tire off and put on the spare. I know where the windshield wiper fluid reservoir is, where the little ports are (sort of under the wipers), where the oil stick is and how to add oil.

    Karen, when I saw the title of this thread, I misunderstood! My first Saturn was the teal color, which was the most popular color for Saturns the first few years. I have a friend at church who had the same color! Only difference was the bumper colors- mine were black and his were teal. Slightly different car models, his had more bells and whistles. We each tried to get into the other's car more than once! His key would fit into the door of my car, but it wouldn't start the ignition. My key wouldn't fit into his lock. When it would snow a lot you couldn't tell which was which, except for license plates. When we replaced the teal, we both got Saturns, but different models. We had friends at church who went through the same thing with Toyota Corollas
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
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    Oh, how funny! I guess I have always had uncommon colors of cars, but I also automatically check license plate number on approach in any parking lot just in case! My current cat, Turtle, is dark green, which apparently is not a very common color for 2003 CRV's, one dealer when we were shopping said he didn't think they were making any anymore, but we just went to a different dealer, and there he was!
    I've Been Frosted

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    22,005
    I've always been able to do basic things with my car - not only the windshield fluid, but change the air filter, check the oil (and add some if needed), as well as changing front and rear wiper blades, and replacing fuses and light bulbs. It does save a few dollars in the long run!
    "Do or do not. There is no try." -- Yoda

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Michigan
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    Not at all, and that probably isn't good. I know how to change a tire but I don't really know much else.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
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    Windham, Vermont, USA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alysser View Post
    Not at all, and that probably isn't good. I know how to change a tire but I don't really know much else.
    Aww, next time you have some spare time, have someone go over it with you! Even a local mechanic if you ask nicely, and have no relations around who are car folks!

    (Note: I didn't say "car guys" - I once had a male coworker, after I discussed some old cars with him, look at me a little funny and say, "Y'know, you are a bigger "car guy" than most actual guys I know!")
    I've Been Frosted

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Litter Box, Greenville, SC
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    5,307
    Sadly not this one. I used to know them well. I have looked under the hood and really need to do that over the break provided it is nice during the day. The car is almost 4 and now getting to the age where it would be prudent to be aware of the under-the-hood conditions of my ride.
    Anne
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  8. #8
    Roops, forgot one.....

    And thanks Liz.

    It's a hydraulic clutch setup. Have someone bleed the slave.
    The one eyed man in the kingdom of the blind wasn't king, he was stoned for seeing light.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    At university in Hertfordshire, UK
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    Admittedly I had no idea what 'bleeding the slave' was, but some swift googling has just set me straight on that one...

    Zimbabwe 07/13


  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Miss Z View Post
    Admittedly I had no idea what 'bleeding the slave' was, but some swift googling has just set me straight on that one...
    Before someone else reads the above and thinks I've completely lost all social awareness....

    The clutch is disengaged by a small hydraulic cylinder that is linked to the master cylinder for the brakes. (The brake master cylinder is the larger, hence master, and the one which drives the clutch is smaller and linked mechanically/hydraulically to the larger, hence master/slave nomenclatures)

    Over time, hydraulic fluid gets contaminated and can get tiny air bubbles in the fluid for a variety of reasons. Hydraulics work because fluids in classical physics do not compress. Air, however, does compress quite nicely. If the bubble of air is large enough, it will interfere with the movement of fluid in the system due to the movement of the piston, compressing the air rather than moving the fluid.

    Removal of the air and other contaminants in the system is referred to as bleeding the system.

    In the case of the clutch, the entire hydraulic system doesn't need to be bled, just that tiny part of the system.

    Hence the term "bleeding the slave". I'm not referring to using a barbaric medical practice on uncompensated household help.
    The one eyed man in the kingdom of the blind wasn't king, he was stoned for seeing light.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Kentucky, LAND OF THE EASILY AMUSED
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lady's Human View Post
    Before someone else reads the above and thinks I've completely lost all social awareness....

    The clutch is disengaged by a small hydraulic cylinder that is linked to the master cylinder for the brakes. (The brake master cylinder is the larger, hence master, and the one which drives the clutch is smaller and linked mechanically/hydraulically to the larger, hence master/slave nomenclatures)

    Over time, hydraulic fluid gets contaminated and can get tiny air bubbles in the fluid for a variety of reasons. Hydraulics work because fluids in classical physics do not compress. Air, however, does compress quite nicely. If the bubble of air is large enough, it will interfere with the movement of fluid in the system due to the movement of the piston, compressing the air rather than moving the fluid.

    Removal of the air and other contaminants in the system is referred to as bleeding the system.

    In the case of the clutch, the entire hydraulic system doesn't need to be bled, just that tiny part of the system.

    Hence the term "bleeding the slave". I'm not referring to using a barbaric medical practice on uncompensated household help.
    Is that like pumping the brakes?

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